Automatic tug-lock.



A. HAMPTON. AUTOMATIC TUG LOCK. APPLICATION man JUNE 30.1916.

1,199,981. Patented Oct. 3,1916.

j dz

flfllz'eml'vm Witnesses Inventor Attorneys;

Rs cm. Pnormurmm. wAsnmc m". u c.

o rrn ARLIE HAMPTON, on MADIsoNvILLE, KENTUCKY;

AUTOMATIC TUG-LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 3, 1916.

Application filed June 30, 1916. Serial N 0. 106,889.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARLIE HAMPTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Madisonville, in the county of Hopkins and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Automatic Tug-Lock, of which the following is a specification.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is a lock or latch adapted to be employed primarily but not exclusively for securing a tug to a whifiietree.

The invention aims so to construct the latch that the same will be held on the whiflietree without the aid of securing elements of any kind.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the present invention appertains.

With the above .and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 shows in perspective, a whiflletree to which the device forming the subject matter of this application has been applied; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section showing a portion of a whiiiletree embodying the present invention; and Fig. 3 is a top plan of a whiflietree embodying the present invention.

In the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a support, such as a whifi'letree. The support 1 is equipped in its end with a seat 2, in the form of a notch. Intermediate its ends, the whifiletree 1 is provided with a transverse opening 3.

The invention comprises a U-shaped resilient latch including a bend 4L engaged in the seat 2, a primary arm 5 and a secondary arm 6, lying on opposite sides of the support 1, and disposed in diverging relation, and an angular finger 7 at the inner end of the primary arm 5, it being observed that, as denoted by the reference character 8, the

secondary arm 6 projects inwardly beyond the finger 7. The finger 7 is slidably received in the opening 3. The tug appears at 9 and is provided with the usual opening 10, receiving the end of the whiflletree 1.

In practical operation, the tug 9 is slid onto the whifiietree 1 in the direction of the arrow A, the arm 6 being held up against the under side of the whifiietree 1, and the arm 5 being compressed, the finger 7 entering the opening 3. After the tug 9 has been pushed in the direction of the arrow A to a suflicient extent, the arm 5 springs up into the position of Fig. 2, the finger 7 preventing the tug from sliding off the whifiletree. WVhen the tug 9 is disposed as shown in Fig. 2, the tug engages the extended end 8 of the arm 6 and prevents the latch from swinging downwardly with the seat 2 as a fulcrum, a disengagement 0f the finger 7 from the tug 9 thus being avoided.

It is to be observed that, in the present invention, absolutely no securing elements are required for holding the latch in place on the whitfletree.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is In a device of the class described, a support provided intermediate its ends with a transverse opening; and a U-shaped resilient latch comprising a bend engaging the end of the support, and primary and secondary diverging arms lying on opposite sides of the support, the primary arm being provided with an angular finger slidably received in the opening, and the secondary arm being inwardly extended beyond the finger, both of the arms being movable relative to the support, and the latch being mounted to swing with the end of the support as a fulcrum, the engagement between the finger and the opening constituting means for preventing a detachment of the latch from the support.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ARLIE HAMPTON.

Witnesses:

O. A. ASHBY, SOPHIE A. WEIR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

